Birthday Fruit
I spent hours today in the middle of birthday dinner preparation. The delicious aromas mixed with an ongoing list of phenomenal tunes spinning on my turntable. Tapping my foot, the best words I could come up with was "Festive, damn it!"
I’ve spent nearly a year posting to this daily blog. It’s been a wonderful learning experience on so many levels. First and foremost, the idea of posting at least one image a day was a dedication and commitment for me to work creatively every single day. It worked. Idle time has never served me very well, though one thing I’ve come to learn from this daily regiment is that I need to include some relaxation time in my life. I struggle with that, but I made a promise to myself that I’d get better at making that time happen. This will certainly be an ongoing work in progress and the verdict is still out.
I’ve become better with my tools too – my cameras, my post production and web design skills, merging social media with marketing, and even viewing the world with my naked eye. I’ve seen places I wouldn’t have normally seen, shaken hands and chatted with some of the realest people I’ve ever met, and surprisingly broke that hell-bent regimented routine of me just to see what I could see, to experience a moment out of my normalcy, and to capture an image I would never have imagined otherwise. I’ve also learned a bit more about myself through the things I’ve seen through my viewfinder; the typed words I’ve put together or deleted to form sentences, paragraphs, and stories; and by walking through my second year of sobriety with a clearer head and open eyes.
It would drive most people crazy, but order, projects, and organization keep me focused. This daily blog thing is nearing the goal I’d originally set for it. One year. Aside from over 15,000 images and a memorable collection of ventured paths from 2011, I’m not sure what becomes of this daily blog thing beyond its January 1, 2012 anniversary. Maybe I’ll celebrate by listening to some of my favorite music, reading a few liner notes, and drawing a large circle in the sand, …but I’m definitely ruling out a scrapbook.
My guess is I’ll come up with something.
snake girl and that guy
I've used an iPad as a consumable device for more than a year. It's great for entertaining me with my music, watching films, staying connected with my numerous email accounts, the office, countless social media interweavings, and the glorious hours of mind-numbingness that only the web or reality TV could provide. I'd convinced myself that this tablet device was perfect… just not perfect for me to produce art with.
I'm marking November 17, 2011, as a day for change, a learning curve, and forward momentum. Today's image was fully edited with my iPad, not by pressing pre-made cookie cutter filters, but with hand-done dodging, burning, masks, adjustments levels, and layers, just like I do on my MacBook Pro.
I won't give up those tools I've used for years, but I may have added another tool to my toolbox today. I also set the time on my new digital watch today. The same one I've been wearing at the wrong time for nearly three weeks. Sometimes it takes me a little while to adapt.